Category Archives: Uncategorized
Scheme aims to match more local talent with SMEs
Rachel Scully
Source: The Straits Times
Money Week Episode 43
Channel U
This episode of Money Week discusses the White Paper on Population, what it means for Singapore’s economy and the workforce when the number of people in Singapore reaches 6.9 million in 2030.
The programme was first aired on Saturday, 2 Februrary 2013, 7.00PM on Channel U.
Source: Xinmsn
SMEs expect labour to push business cost up: survey
Millet Enriquez
SINGAPORE: Nine in 10 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) surveyed by the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) expect labour to push costs higher.
And many are now setting their sights to overseas expansion, particularly in Iskandar, Malaysia.
Over 80 per cent of business owners who took part in the SME Business and Budget 2013 Sentiments survey say manpower, followed by rental and foreign worker levy contributed to higher business costs in 2012.
As such, over 60 per cent of respondents are looking to receive more incentives in Budget 2013.
These are in the areas of hiring local staff and talents, as well increasing productivity through the extension of the Productivity Innovation Credit (PIC) Scheme until 2015.
ASME is also proposing an increase of cash payout to 80 per cent for up to S$200,000. It is higher than the current from 60 per cent for S$100,000 of qualifying expenditure.
ASME said 2013 will be even more challenging if current issues are not resolved.
“In the short run, most SMEs will face greater impact on their profit margins and bottom line. The way forward would be to help SMEs speed up productivity improvements and assist SMEs to find alternative solutions to cope with the current unfavourable challenges and measures,” said ASME president Chan Chong Beng.
ASME said it plans to set up a one-stop centre in Iskandar to assist in getting business licences, finding suitable properties and sourcing manpower.
Source: ChannelNewsAsia
Starting salaries for poly graduates on the rise: survey
SINGAPORE: Polytechnic graduates are starting out in the job market with higher salaries, according to a joint survey conducted by the five polytechnics in 2012.
Fresh graduates in full-time permanent employment earn S$1,950 in median gross monthly salary, compared with S$1,850 in 2011.
Those who joined the workforce after they had completed National Service draw a median gross monthly salary of S$2,253, compared with S$2,100 in 2011.
The Graduate Employment Survey, which polled about 10,000 fresh graduates, attributes the higher starting salaries to the strong value of a polytechnic education.
It also said this shows that employers continue to appreciate skilled polytechnic graduates.
The survey also found that the employment rate for fresh polytechnic graduates remains high — at 91 per cent for fresh graduates, and 93.1 per cent for post-NS graduates as of October 2012.
Source: ChannelNewsAsia
